Beyond the Weekend: GOD IS...
People have a lot of thoughts about God. Some say he is angry and vengeful. Some say he is a buddy or best friend. But what does Scripture tell us about God?
Understanding the character of God matters. It changes how we meet him in our everyday lives. It changes how we understand the world around us, and his work in it. And it changes our prayer life and how we talk and hear from him. Understanding the character of God leads us to living lives of obedience and worship.
Join Pastors Aaron Buer, Jeff Manion and Brad Holmes in our 10-week series GOD IS ..., a study on the identity and character of God, and learn how your faith can grow as you know God better.
Thirst Quencher
Read: John 7:37-38 Listen: John 7
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” John 7:37
The Feast of Tabernacles is a Jewish festival that remembers the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. During this feast, a special water ceremony takes place. The imagery of living water is at the center of this ceremony. First-century Jews understood that living water comes from God. It symbolizes the cleansing and sanctification necessary to return to God. This ceremony repeats for the first seven days of the feast but not on the eighth. Jesus attends this feast, quietly teaching until the eighth day. On that day, Jesus stands and yells out to the crowd, proclaiming himself as the source of living water. He is their way back to God. All who are willing may come to him and know satisfaction.
Jesus extends the same invitation to us today. He wants us to find satisfaction in him. This is an ongoing process. Acceptance of Jesus as our Savior does not exempt us from feelings of emptiness and void. Life will present trials and tribulations. Finding fulfillment in God requires constant renewal. But Jesus promises to satisfy us over and over again. Come and drink from his well. He is enough. He will sustain us in our broken world today and forever in eternity with him.
TODAY: Fill in the blank: Once I have __________, I will feel satisfied. Turn this into a prayer of confession. “Lord, help me find my satisfaction in Jesus and not in ___________.” Then, worship with the Ada Bible Worship Team as they sing “Thank You Lord.” Thank God that “…every time I turn around, I could see you’re enough.”
JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
Read Jeremiah 9-10. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Consider the Lord who brings justice and righteousness to earth and how these things meet in Jesus (Jeremiah 9:24).
